Off the hook
by Element12
Summary: "I saw that! You smiled! I'm off the hook!" you shout back with a laugh. Yes, that's right because as we were growing up whatever mischief or stupidity you did that made me angry or annoyed or upset, at the end of the day, we both knew that you were always going to be off the hook.
1. Chapter 1

...I own nothing...

This was just a very sudden idea of a story that i got in the middle of the night. Hopefully it's satisfactory. :)

* * *

The doors open and finally it's my turn. Emerald meets amber and nothing else matters, not the cry of a baby nor the loose thread of my dress because at that second when amber met emerald it is nothing but perfect.

I take a step and I notice your boyish lopsided smile, the one I know you save only for me, your best friend.

* * *

_**2004**_

_As Head Boy you're once again surrounded by the female population of the school. To them you seem interested with your polite smile and small talk but I know better. You see me and I stick my tongue out to you as you mouth the words, 'Help me'. I let you suffer a little longer but we both know I could never say no to you and so I save you from your cage of girls._

"_Thanks," you say and your boyish lopsided smile emerges._

* * *

I'm not even half way there and you're nervous…I can tell…your hand, it's running through your hair and you breathe in and out, slowly and deeply.

* * *

_**1995**_

"_Oi! You're next, stop touching your hair." I whisper to you with a grin of amusement._

"_Shut up! It's not funny," your clearly annoyed and this just makes me laugh even more. Because the thing is, it is funny, you in your sparkly, pink attire about to dance 'I'm a Barbie Girl' in front of the whole class._

"_Just breathe in and out. Slowly and deeply." I whisper hurriedly and push you to the stage because we're nine and I dared you to._

* * *

I'm halfway there and I hear, "You're beautiful Lianne," from a golden haired teenage girl, then my eyes flicker to the floor for a moment as my mouth curves upwards in a smile. I look up when I hear you laugh as someone trips while walking on the aisle. As usual you look incredibly handsome and with that I fall in love with you all over again. But I give you a 'look', that 'look' I've mastered all through our relationship, the one that says 'stop what you're doing', and well of course you wouldn't be you if you didn't understand what the 'look' meant, then as expected you smirk and wink my way and I roll my eyes. It's like a routine, like an over played movie, we know exactly what's going to happen next.

* * *

_**2009**_

"_Don't roll your eyes; it'll get stuck like that."_

"_Then stop smirking! Honestly! We we're at church and you start texting! Seriously, how old are you?! Twelve?" I retort annoyingly._

"_Actually, twenty-three so no you're wrong." You say still grinning._

"_Hypothetical question, you idiot!" I shout as I hurriedly walk away trying to hide a smile._

"_I saw that! You smiled! I'm off the hook!" you shout back with a laugh._

* * *

Yes, that's right because as we were growing up whatever mischief or stupidity you did that made me angry or annoyed or upset, at the end of the day, we both knew that you were always going to be off the hook.

I'm here in front of you and you show me that boyish lopsided smile of yours, with that a single tear rolls down my cheek and you give me a quick but warm embrace paired with a sweet kiss on the cheek. I look up to you with a smile and you whisper excitedly, "She's here!"

"Your bride." I whisper with a smile.

* * *

_**2010**_

"_Oi! Where have you been?!" I yell over top the incredibly loud music of the crowded club as I see your shaggy dark chestnut hair._

"_I had to find a bloody parking! Damn it's monstrous in here!" you shout back._

"_So why'd you want to meet up here of all places?" I say as we squeeze our way through the raving sea of people to get to a much calmer part of the club. But I see that you're distracted as your eyes flicker from the door to the bar and to the dance floor, suddenly your face brightens in the dark and you whisper excitedly, "She's here!"_

"_Who?"_

_A strange feeling is at the pit of my stomach…this isn't part of the routine…I don't know what's going to happen next._

"_Lianne…"_

* * *

**Then**

Nothing else mattered then, not the cry of a baby or the loose thread of my dress or the elegant white gowned beauty as she slowly glided through the double doors because my emerald eyes could only see your amber eyes and at that moment I forgot I wasn't your bride but your best friend.

You're playing with your hair, breathing in and out, slowly and deeply because now that you've seen her blue eyes that shone with love and her hair golden like the sun you're awestruck with love.

I'm half way there and I hear, "You're beautiful Lianne," from none other than her golden haired sister. My eyes flicker to the floor when another realisation hits me and my mouth curves up into a sad smile. It turns out the bride herself was nervous too when she slightly stumbled behind me after she shyly thanked her younger sister and of course only you would laugh at that, so I give you the 'look' to save the bride any further embarrassment but she herself gave a small laugh and everyone else in the church sigh as they witness the type of love the bride and groom share.

**Now**

A single tear rolls down my cheek- you don't suspect my sadness, I guess I've been too good at hiding it- you give me hug that makes it hard for me to let go and a kiss on the cheek that breaks my heart but I work hard to mask my sadness and lift up my eyes up to you with a smile and whisper in a quiet reply, "Your bride."

As I see you up there holding her hand, caressing her cheek, saying your vow with brightness in your face I have never seen through our life together either mischievous children or as partners in crime in the adventure we called growing up and I can't help myself but give a genuine smile.

"So I guess you're off the hook…" I whisper.

* * *

Should i end it here?


	2. Chapter 2

So I decided i'm going to continue this story, although it took awhile because I didn't really know where to go with it after the first chapter but hopefully this is alright. I'm sorry for any mistakes. So yea...

* * *

I walk out to the balcony from the blissful chaos of the reception hall. It was beautiful of course; the Li clan and the Mataake Family wouldn't settle for any less. I mean they have the money, the reputation and the connections to make this the wedding of the decade and they did exactly just that. And like any girl I love beautiful things, and so like every girl this beauty made my heart swell but unlike any other it also crush it as I again grasped for maybe the millionth time that this was not my wedding. This beauty was not for me. The groom was not for me.

And so I left, the pain being unbearable. I take a deep breath and take in the glistening lights of Tokyo.

"You're okay." I whisper to myself over and over. Trying to convince myself as a lump in my throat rises and I fight back the urge to cry.

"Sakura-chan, taking a breather too are you?"

I take a shaky breath and turn around to the man I consider my second father. His amber eyes, although darker, is still just as intense as his son's, his hair speckled with grey and a smile just as gentle.

I give a tired laugh and reply, "Yes, it's not only getting too hot in there but also too loud."

He walks my way and leans back at the railing staring inside the hall. I follow his gaze and my eyes land on the smiling couple dancing in the midst of everyone else. We're both quiet for a while, just staring at them. Then Shao Long-sama breaks the silence.

"There was a time, where the clan and I thought that you were going to be Syaoran's wife, his heir bearer and a time where he himself thought it too."

"Thoughts are different from reality, Shao Long-sama." I reply calmy, deceiving what I really felt inside. Complete and utter shock.

"Yes, of course. Don't get me wrong Sakura-chan I adore Lianne, it's just I hoped you would be legally attached to the Li Clan." He replies with a chuckle.

"Thank you, I think." I reply with a small laugh.

"You know if you told him not to marry her, he'd do it just because you told him."

* * *

**Early September 2011**

"_So why did you drag me here in the city when I could be in the beach with my colleagues?" I ask with false annoyance. _

_He takes a deep breath and runs his hand through his hair and then grabs my hand gently, "I need you to look at something for me and don't laugh okay?" he lets my hand go and reaches into his pocket to retrieve a blue velvet box. My heart is in my throat. I can't breathe. This cannot be happening. It's obvious what's in the box. I can tell, the waitress can tell, everyone can tell what's in that box. He opens it and just like I thought a ring glistens with magnificence and elegance inside it like a pearl in a shell._

"_It's beautiful!" I exclaim and pick it up delicately with my hands. He smiles; you know that smile he saves just for me._

"_So what do you say?" He asks curiously._

"_Bro, if you were going to ask me to marry you couldn't you have done it in a more romantic way?"_

"_I knew you were just going to joke around. I'm thinking of asking Lianne to marry me." He says taking the box away from me with a crease between his eyebrows._

_I'm quiet._

"_What? You don't think I should?"_

'_No.' I think to myself. But only no sound comes out of my mouth._

"_Sakura, you're the first person I told about this. Tell me what you're thinking. Should I or should I not?" _

"_Maybe you should talk to your parents first." This time the joking tone has vanished as the seriousness of the matter dawns over me. I could really lose him this time._

_He snorts._

"_Come on we both know I listen to you more than my own parents." _

"_Well, it's really your choice. And whatever it's going to be I'll be there to support you."_

* * *

I laugh at this, because it's true. But then who am I to deprive him from the joy he's feeling now?

I can't do that. I never will.

The night gets deeper and the guests are gradually dispersing and it's my time to go too…

I tap his shoulder and whisper, "I have to go," as he talks to his best man, his cousin and both our close friend.

"What!? Already? As best friend shouldn't you stay until the bride and groom leaves? That's like in the contract!" He exclaims as he gives me a tight embrace.

"I know, I know, but hey only one of us can be the CEO of the Li Branch, some of us actually have to work for someone."

He laughs at this and I smile. I love his laugh.

"Sakura-san you can't be leaving already?" Lianne asks as she comes over and gives Syoaran another glass of champagne.

'He doesn't like champagne,' is what I really want to say but instead I agree and say goodbye.

"Thanks again for last night," she whispers to me as she gives me a hug good bye. I just nod in acknowledgement, give a final smile and turn around as Syoaran gives his new wife a kiss on top of her head.

* * *

**Night before the wedding**

"_Hey thanks for coming out, I know you're probably busy in the kitchen." Lianne says as I sit down in the busy restaurant from the kitchen still in uniform._

"_It's alright, I'm on break anyway. What's up?" I ask curiously._

"_I was wondering after your shift tonight, if you wanted to go out with us girls."_

"_Oh!"_

_Saying I'm shocked is an understatement. I guess I never realised that we have never spent time together alone before or without Syaoran there._

"_I mean, I'm getting married to your best friend and we've never had girl talk before…" She trails off nervously._

"_Yea, oh yea. I completely understand…umm I'm really touched, but maybe after the wedding cause I don't think I'm going to finish here anytime soon," I reply slowly and gesturing the busy restaurant, "Thanks Lianne though, seriously I mean it. Next time I promise."_

"_Oh, I guess you're right, sorry about that. It is short notice." She states as she gives me a polite smile yet her posture is still quite tense._

_It's quiet for some time and I become conscious about the fact that we don't really have anything to talk about. We both don't have anything in common apart from Syaoran. And for some odd reason this saddens me._

"_So..umm if that's all I probably should go back inside the kitchen…" I awkwardly utter as I stand up slowly._

_Out of nowhere she grabs my hand tightly and I am astounded, I look down at our hands and then at her nervous face._

"_Thank you."_

_I'm confused._

"_Thank you for not being in love with him. I mean, I know that I would probably lose if you became my rival because I know how high he regards you in his life, you're his best friend. Your friendship with him is second to no one. And I was always so worried that maybe he'd realise that he's in love with-"_

"_Friendship. That's what we have; you guys have a relationship where you both are in love with each other. There is no competition and there never will be. Okay?"_

_She nods and slowly your whole aura seems so much more relaxed as if what you just told me was your biggest secret._

"_Just don't hurt him, okay?" I ask, in a pleading voice._

"_I won't," she replies quietly and stands up to give me an embrace I willingly accept because for the first time I realise that the girl you're about to marry might actually love you half as much as I do._

* * *

As I turn around like I did the night before I give a weak yet sincere smile and with a broken heart I think to myself…

'So I guess you're off the hook.'

* * *

If you guys have any questions about this just ask away! Constructive criticism is very welcome and helpful!


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